Are cats nocturnal?

Although cats are commonly called nocturnal, they are actually crepuscular, which means they are active primarily at dawn and dusk. However, cats do not sleep in one large block like humans do, so individual cats may be active overnight.

Wild or feral cats become active at dawn and dusk to search for prey since this is when many small animals are coming out of their burrows for the night, and this instinct lingers in domestic cats. House cats are adaptable and may learn to sleep during the evening and night since that is when their owners are asleep, especially if the cat is given plenty of exercise and enrichment during the day.